Caryopteris plant named ‘First Choice’

ABSTRACT

A new variety of Bluebeard plant named &#34;First Choice&#39;, characterized by abundant deep blue-violet flowers that bloom over a long period, deep green foliage and a compact growth habit.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This invention presents a new and distinct cultivarCaryopteris×clandonensis and will be referred to hereafter by thecultivar name ‘First Choice’. ‘First Choice’ is a new an distinctcultivar of Bluebeard, a shrub that is grown as a perennial forlandscape use.

The new cultivar is the result of a seedling selection program thatbegan in 1988 with the objective of developing a cultivar with a compactplant habit and a stronger flower color. Seeds were originally collectedby the inventor at Liss Forest Nursury in Hampshire, UK. Seedlings wereselected, open-pollinated, and reselected over five subsequentgenerations. Seeds were originally collected from the cultivarsCaryopteris×clandonensis ‘Heavenly Blue’ (unpatented) andCaryopteris×clandonensis ‘Kew Blue’ (unpatented). In five subsequentgenerations, the most promising seedlings were selected, open-pollinatedand observed for further seed collection. The new Caryopteris wasdiscovered in a seed bed sown of these various unidentified crosses ofCaryopteris×clandonensis seed in 1992. Thousands of seedlings wereevaluated before the cultivar ‘First Choice’ was selected as unique inthat it has a compact growth habit, a long bloom season and deep-coloredfloral buds and flowers. The new cultivar is more similar to ‘Kew Blue’than to ‘Heavenly Blue’. ‘First Choice’ differs from ‘Kew Blue’ in that‘First Choice’ is longer blooming, more compact, the flowers are largerand richer in color, the flowers are more abundant, and the foliage isgreener. Data is given Table 1 for comparison to ‘Dark Knight’(unpatented) because the flower color of ‘Dark Knight’ is closer to thatof ‘First Choice’ than any other cultivar. The new cultivar can bereadily distinguished from all other cultivars ofCaryopteris×clandonensis by the characteristics that are describedhereafter.

Asexual propagation of the new cultivar has been accomplished bysemi-ripe cuttings taken by the inventor in 1994 at Liss Forest Nurseryin England. The characteristics of this new cultivar have beendetermined to be stable and are reproduced true to type in successivegenerations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe characteristics of the new cultivar. The combination of these traitsdistinguish the new cultivar from all others in commerce.

1. ‘First Choice’ has a long bloom season. A high proportion of earlyflower buds on ‘First Choice’ develop into flowers, whereas the earlyseason flower buds of other known cultivars often do not fully develop.

2. The flowers of ‘First Choice’ are borne in profusion on erect stems.

3. The floral buds are inky-blue in color and the flowers are a deeplilac-blue.

4. The plant habit is compact.

5. The foliage is a deep green with a satin finish; other cultivars aretypically grey-green.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

On sheet one, the entire plant is shown to depict the plant habit of‘First Choice’. Sheet two depicts an individual bloom that is as closeas reasonably possible by conventional photography and a photo showingthe cultivar ‘Longwood Blue’ (left) next to the cultivar ‘First Choice’to demonstrate the difference in plant habit and flower color.

BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION OF THE PLANT

The following is a detailed description of the new cultivar as on 2 yearold plants grown outdoors in Monkton, Md. in 3-gallon containers.Phenotypic differences may be observed with variations in environmental,climatic, and cultural conditions. The color determination is inaccordance with The R.H.S. Colour Chart of The Royal HorticulturalSociety, London, England, except where general color terms of ordinarydictionary significance are used.

Botanical classification: ‘First Choice’ is a cultivar ofCaryopteris×clandonensis.

Parentage:

Seed parent.—Unidentified Caryopteris×clandonensis seedling selection.

Pollen parent.—Unidentified Caryopteris×clandonensis seedling selection.

Commercial classification: Bluebeard.

Garden use: A sub-shrub that is treated as a perennial landscape plant.

Plant description:

Blooming period.—Early August to late September.

Blooming habit.—Axillary and terminal blooms, produced on new wood.

Disease resistance.—No known disease or insect problems.

Culture.—Prefers full sun, well-drained soil. Drought tolerant.

Fruit.—Dry, 4-valved capsule separated into a 4 winged nutlet, 4 mm inlength, 3 mm in width, color 143A when immature gradually changing to apurple-black 93A at maturity.

Hardiness.—Zone 5.

Fragrance.—Foliage and wood are aromatic (mint-like) when crushed.

Growth.—Each branch or shoot that emerges in the spring gives rise to20-30 auxiliary shoots prior to inflorescence initiation. New shootsgrow quickly.

Plant habit.—Bushy, compact, low-growing and mounded.

Propagation.—Semi-ripe cuttings.

Root system.—Fibrous roots are fine and well-branched.

Size.—2 year old plants: 76 cm in height, 91 cm in width.

Time to initiate new roots.—6-10 days at 68° C. under mist.

Time to develop roots.—6-8 weeks, with 2 weeks under mist.

Wood.—Mature wood is semi-rough and streaked light tan 164D andgrey-green 197B.

Softwood is grey-brown 199B.—Typically 10-16 secondary branches off aleader.

Winter dormancy.—Twiggy, branching habit.

Flower description:

Flower type.—Compound, dense, dichasial cymes.

Bud.—Up to 6 mm in diameter, color 94A.

Calyx.—Deeply 5-lobed, campanulate, 4 mm in length but enlarges as fruitdevelops.

Corolla.—Petals are fused, deeply 5-lobed, spreading, short-tubed 1-2 mmin length, 4 petal lobes are 7 mm in length; one lobe is longer, concaveand flares up to 13 mm in length with fringed edges. Width 9-10 mm,Petal color 94B (opening), 94C (mature).

Reproductive organs:

Stamens.—4, exserted, pollen, very fine, moderate in quantity color 3CAnther 0.75 mm in length, 0.5 mm in width prior to filament color,Filament color 90C.

Pistil.—Stigma 2-cleft, Style exserted, Style color 90C. Ovary superior,2 mm in length and 1 mm in width at bloom, color 193A.

Foliage description:

Arrangement.—Opposite and decussate, insertion is petiolate.

Type.—Deciduous, simple.

Shape.—Ovate-lanceolate, no lobes.

Surface.—Glabrous with satin appearance on upper surface, canescent onlower surface.

Apex.—Acute.

Base.—Attenuate.

Margins.—Entire to dentate.

Venation.—Upper surface: mid-vein recessed, secondary veins are recessedand pinnate. Lower surface: mid-vein and secondary veins prominent.

Color.—Upper surface 137A, lower surface 191A and midrib vein 146C,petiole is 146B on upper surface and 146C on lower surface.

Size.—Length: 3.5-6 cm, Width: 1-2 cm, Petiole length: 0.5-1 cm.Internode length: 2-3 cm.

COMPARISON WITH OTHER CULTIVARS

In Table I, the new invention, ‘First Choice’, is compared to thecultivar ‘Dark Knight’ (unpatented) because it is known for the darkcolor of its blooms. The foliage color of ‘Dark Knight’ (unpatented) ismore similar to most other cultivars in the trade than ‘First Choice’.In Table II, the mature plant size is compared with two other cultivars.

TABLE I ‘First Choice’ ‘Dark Knight’ (unpatented) Foliage: Shapeovate-lanceolate lanceolate Length 3.5-6 cm 3.4-5.5 cm Width   1-2 cm .5-1.5 cm Petiole  .5-1 cm  .5-1 cm Internode   2-3 cm   2-3.5 cmColor: Adaxial 137A 144A Abaxial 191A 147C Surface: Adaxial Satin SheenDull Angle to Stem 45° 60° Flowers: Number per compound  15-30   9-19cyme group Bloom color: 94B (Opening) 94C (Opening) 94C (Mature) 94D(Mature) Bud color: 95A 96D Flower Size: Length  13 mm  11 mm Width  10mm   9 mm

TABLE II ‘Long. Blue’ ‘Kew Blue’ Plant Size: ‘First Choice’ (unpatented)(unpatented) Height 76 cm  91 cm 91 cm Spread 91 cm 122 cm 91 cm

I claim:
 1. The new and distinct cultivar of Caryopteris plant named‘First Choice’